Maui

Maui is formed by two great volcanic masses joined by a low coastal isthmus between their broad slopes. Hawaiian communities cultivated its valleys and coastal lands, while rival chiefs contended for power among the islands. Lahaina and the district around Wailuku were important centres of settlement and authority.

In 1790 Kamehameha’s forces from Hawaiʻi Island fought the defenders of Maui in ʻĪao Valley at the battle of Kepaniwai. His final conquest of Maui came in 1795 as he extended his rule over neighboring islands. The battle was remembered for the heavy loss of life among the warriors in the valley. Lahaina became a royal residence and, under his successors, a capital of the Hawaiian kingdom; whaling ships began calling there in 1819.